How to Be a Likeable Coworker

We are at work for at least forty hours a week and we are around the same people those five days a week. Our coworkers become close to us simply because we are around each other for so long, but closeness does not indicate friendliness. Being a likeable coworker will only help your office relationships and could even make your workdays more enjoyable if you know your coworkers like working with you.

If you desire to be a favorite at the office, be sure to start picking up the following behaviors:

1. Ask about their day

Coworkers are people and they like to know that someone cares about them. We exchange brief hellos and “how are you doing” in passing each other in the hallways all the time, but taking the time to stop and truly listen is rare. Your coworkers will appreciate you taking time out of your day to strike up a friendly conversation with them. And when you ask about their day, be sure to truly be listening and remembering the information. Asking them about a certain event from the day before will delightfully surprise your coworkers.

2. Be respectful

This should go without saying, but being polite and nice to your coworkers is a great start to becoming a likeable coworker no matter where you work. If you are having a bad day, do not take it out on your coworkers. Don’t take the effort of your coworkers for granted and remember that they work just as long as you do. You can practice being more respectful at work by saying “please” and “thank you” when your coworkers help you with a task.

3. Give out compliments

Now, this does not mean to tell them “good job” with everything they do because some people will interpret this behavior as self-serving. However, when a coworker has been working hard on a project you are working jointly on, be sure to say “thanks for helping me out so much today.” People need reminded that they are doing well, and you giving the compliment will reflect positively on you.

4. Bring food to share

If you really want to become a likeable coworker and quickly, then bring some donuts to a meeting. In our society, food is a large part of socializing and bonding, so bringing food is an excellent way to get on your coworkers’ good sides. This could also include inviting coworkers to lunch with you so you can share a non-work related conversation, or maybe dropping coffee to a coworker’s desk with a small note.

5. Learn the work culture and stick to it

Every workplace has its set of unwritten rules and etiquette that should be followed. However, some basic rules include wearing ear buds instead of blaring your own music, refilling coffee when it runs out, and responding to emails within a certain amount of time. Each workplace is different, so be sure to learn the culture of the office and stick to it to ensure that you aren’t accidentally going against the grain and accidentally aggravating your coworkers.